United Nations Security Council slams North Korea’s latest missile tests

This picture taken on May 14, 2017 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 15 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspecting a ground-to-ground medium long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12. (Photos by AFP)

The United Nations Security Council has demanded that North Korea halt its nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

The council made the request on Monday in reaction to Pyongyang’s latest missile test which was carried out on Saturday.

In a unanimously agreed statement the UNSC condemned the test, while stressing that the North show “sincere commitment to denuclearization through concrete action and stressed the importance of working to reduce tensions."   

"To that end, the Security Council demanded the Democratic People's Republic of Korea conduct no further nuclear and ballistic missile tests," the council said.

It added that the council was prepared to issue further anti-North Korea sanctions.

North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile from the northwestern city of Kusong at around 5:30 a.m. (2030 GMT Saturday) and it flew 787 kilometers (489 miles) before landing in the sea between North Korea and Japan, the South Korean military said in a statement.

The United Nations Security Council meets on North Korea April 28, 2017 in New York. 

"The members of the Security Council vowed to fully implement all measures imposed on (North Korea) by the Security Council and strongly urge all other member states to do so in an expeditious and serious manner," added the statement.

The North, already under an array of sanctions for its missile and nuclear programs, says it is developing arms as deterrence against the US threat. North Korea has also said that it would not abandon its missile and nuclear programs unless the US ended its hostility toward Pyongyang.